You Want Me
Don't you?

Wants 037
I want to stay by your side. 

He stumbled on the stairs on his way up the floors. He was heading to the library, the only room that wasn't closed at this hour. Some students were still studying in the quiet room, but no one took the initiative to look up from their textbooks. The blonde haired made a great effort to scan through the rows of books in the library, looking for that one particular book that was hidden within the massive amount of books on the rack.

"I was a fool." His index finger slide through the covers, his eyes scanned through the titles, but he still couldn't find the book he was looking for. 

"I just wanted her to be alright." He stopped. The book was there. It was the graduation book he was looking for. 

He pulled the book out and flipped through the pages, looking for the class that she was in. He knew more than to search for it, but there was something that was tugged on his mind, something he wants to look at.

And then he found it. The two pages of student portraits that she was supposed to be in. It was then his heart shattered seeing the picture of Myungsoo, but Jiae's face was nowhere to be found. "I didn't know that she'll feel this way. But I just wanted her to get out of there already." 

He closed the book and frowned. His heart dropped drastically, as if it had sunk down from his chest. Jiae has lost all her youth because of that one incident. It costed her entire youth as a student.

"Do you know how she looked like when I visited her? She looked fragile. She was so weak, that I thought she couldn't handle it anymore." He rested his head on the rack, his breathing quickened at the uncomfortable memory of Jiae's tears. She cried so much because of that. She was hurt because of something some other bastards did. 

How could they ruin someone's life just like that?

"I just wanted to get her out of that place already." Jaebum is probably telling her the same thing. He sighed, his hand tightened on the book cover. "That's why I told her to admit that she was wrong." 

"At one point, I almost convinced myself that she was actually at fault." He can vaguely hear Jaebum chuckling. "I told her to stop lying to me when I was the one lying to myself." 

"I just... Didn't know what to do to save her from this mess anymore." 

People make mistakes. Mark knew that well. They make mistakes, and they try to make amends to make things right again. Because that's what Jaebum did. That's why he came back to convince Jiae to stop after so many years. Jaebum found out about the money Jiae spent behind Mark's back, and that was exactly why he needed to stop her. Because if she hadn't done anything wrong back then, what she did then would ruin her entirely. 

It'll cost her entire life for redemption. 

That was exactly why Jaebum went to look for her the day before she told Mark everything. He just wanted to set things straight again. He wanted to help her. But his past mistakes scarred her. She was already convinced that Jaebum wasn't trustworthy, which made it harder for Jiae to listen to him then. 

Mark kept the book and left the library. The silence was getting to him. It scares him, when he knew that he can never get use to the silence ever again. Having Jiae around has taken a toll on him. She brightened up the colors of his monotone world, she added joy into his dull, boring life. It's crazy, but he wants her by his side. He needs her. 

"Our father regretted it years after." Mark took a stroll down the empty corridor as he breathes. The words just keep repeating over and over again in his mind. Jaebum's words. He stopped by the window where he saw the autumn arrive. "He wasn't the best father in the world. He makes mistakes. But he cares in his own way." 

He shook his head and continued walking. Jaebum's words wouldn't make sense to him, but then again, aren't they all only human? They speak, they talk, they hurt the people around them by protecting their own feelings and frustrations... 

They make mistakes. And that's what made them human. 

"He was the one who donated a large sum of money to keep the orphanage running." Mark leaned against the wall, his eyes laid down on his black leather shoes, and he sighed. "He went crazy when he heard that Jiae left the orphanage." 

It was a little before he met Jiae. He could recall the innocent look on her face when Coco found her. It's crazy how she can sleep in a sleeping bag down the cold weather of the Han River as though it didn't bother her that much. Her sarcastic nature flowed naturally as though it didn't take her a long time to step into the world he lives in. And her confidence... The radiant beauty of hers outshined his world.

"He wants her back home, Mark." He his cheek as soon as he heard the door slide open. He saw it then. The light, uncertain look on her face when she found him standing by the hallway. Her eyes says it all. He can see it all too clear. Too clear, that it was starting to hurt him from the very inside. 

But he smiled. He smiled as though nothing was wrong.

"Hey." He called Jiae when the woman ran to him with a quick bear hug. She didn't say much, so he wouldn't either. He'll keep up with the oblivion until she decides to leave on her own record. And when she does, his heart will shatter.

Jaebum was looking at them both. Mark saw him. The look on his eyes were uncertain as well.

"I'd like to take her home for the day, Mark." Jaebum proposed, his eyes set on his sister as she looks up for Mark's permission. Why is she looking at him like that? She knew his answer.

He smiled. "Sure." He patted Jiae's back, and he noticed it, the light frown on her face as though she wasn't happy with his answer.

Why?

"You said you have something to say to me." Jiae muttered, tugging on his shirt as she nibbles her lips. "Tell me." 

Mark chuckled and patted her head. "I'll take her for a walk, Jaebum." When Jaebum gave him a nod, he took Jiae's hand, and guided her down the stairs, leaving her brother alone by the corridor. 

Jaebum watched, his eyes followed the two until they were finally out of sight. And that's when he finally fell on his knees, his hardened expression relaxed into a warm, gentle smile. 

"Thank god." The weight on his heart was finally lifted after all these years. 

"So how was the talk?" Mark asked as he takes her to the backyard. It was quiet, just enough for them to talk things through. Jiae was squeezing his large palm this whole time, but he made a great effort to avoid looking at her eyes when he came here. He just... Couldn't seem to look at her right now.

"It was fine." Jiae answered as she tugs on his arm. It felt as if he was thinking about something. His eyes weren't looking at her like how it used to always stay on her. "I told him how I felt, and he did the same."

"What did he say?" Mark asked.  

"He apologized." Jiae said. "He told me why he did that too."

He smiled. "And?"  

She frowned. "He was an idiot." She muttered. "Who begs their sisters to admit to a crime they hadn't done just so they can get them out of the police station unharmed? It's not like the police did anything to me..."

Mark chuckled. "Jaebum was young too you know. He just wanted you to be safe." 

"He hurt me though." 

"People make mistakes, Jiae."

"My father threw me out of the house too." 

"He wasn't thinking straight, Jiae." 

"He didn't want me back." 

"An old man's pride is stronger than an iron?" 

"That's not funny, Mark." She crossed her arms,